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HISTORY 



TOWN OF HUNTINGTON, 



County of Hampshire Mass. 



From its First Settlement to the year 1870. 



By KEV. J. H. BISBEE. 




SPRINGFIELD, MASS.: 

CLAKK W. RRYAN 4 COMPANY, TK INTERS, 
1 876. 



^'^^ V^'Vv> 



I HEREBY certify that at a legal town meeting, held in the Town Hall in 
Huntington, June 17, 1876, it was voted that Rev. J. H. Bisbee, G. Mun- 
son, and C. H. Kirkland, be a committee to prepare and publish a history of 
the Town of Huntington, from its first settlement to the present time. 

WM. S. TINKER, Clerk. 

Huntington, Nov. 21, 1876. 



In accordance with the action of the town, the following brief history has 
been prepared. Meagre and imperfect as it is, it may, perhaps, furnish the 
starting point for some abler pen, hereafter to delineate it more fully. With 
all its imperfections, it is hereby respectfully dedicated to the citizens and 
former inhabitants of Huntington. 

December, 1876. By the Committee. 



History of Huntington. 



This is not one of the original townships of the 
Commonwealth. The larger part of its present territory 
was embraced in what was called Plantation No. 9. 
This plantation, in common with several others in the 
vicinity, was sold at auction by order of the General 
Court, on the second day of June, 1762; it was pur- 
chased by William Williams, for £1,500. October 31, 
1765, this town was incorporated and named Murray field; 
the greater part of it is now called Chester. The name 
was changed by act of the Legislature, February 21, 
1783. 

June 29, 1773, the eastern portion of this territory 
was, by act of the General Court, set oft' and incor- 
porated as a district and named Norwich. In common 
with other districts incorporated near that time, this had 
conferred on it " all the powers, privileges, and immuni- 
ties of a town, that of sending a representative to the 
General Court, alone excepted." A district thus formed, 
was permitted to unite with some town in the choice of 
a representative. Norwich was authorized thus to unite 
with Chester. The reason for withholding from districts 
the right to send a representative by themselves, appears 
to have been a growing jealousy on the part of the 
crown, lest the popular element, in the government ot 
the colony, should be too strong. Hence, '' the governor 



b HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

was instructed to consent to no act for the establishment 
of a new town in the province, unless by a special clause, 
it should place a restraint upon the power of sending 
representatives." On the 23d day of March, 1786, this 
restriction was extensively, if not universally removed. 
An act was then passed, providing that all districts incor- 
porated before January 1, 1777, should be towns and 
thereafter have the right of representation. The line of 
separation between Chester and Norwich, as described in 
the act of incorporation of the latter, is about as definite 
and intelligible to the present generation, as the testi- 
mony of the witness' in court, who, in describing the 
dimensions of a certain stone, said " it was about as big as 
a piece of chalk." In 1853, a portion of the towns of 
Blandford and Chester was annexed to Norwich. The 
reason for this change of boimdaries may be found in the 
fact that a thriving village had sprung up on the corners of 
the towns of Blandford, Chester and Norwich, on the line 
of the railroad. The village being in three towns and 
two counties, police regulations were easily evaded, and 
the interests of education suffered. As now existing, the 
township is bounded on the north by Chester and Chester- 
field, on the east by Westhampton and Southampton, on 
the south by Montgomery and Russell, and on the west 
and south-west by Blandford and Chester. In 1855 the 
name of this township, was, by act of the Legislature 
changed to Huntington, in honor of Hon. Charles P. 
Huntington of Northampton, who aided in securing the 
annexation of territory. The following is the act : 
*^ Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the year one thou- 
sand eight hundred and fifty-five. An Act, to authorize 
the town of Norwich to change its name. Be it enacted 
by the Senate and House of Ilej)resentatives, in General 
Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as 
follows : 



HISTORY OF nUNTINGTON". 7 

Section 1. The town of Norwich, in the County of 
Hampshire, shall take the name of Huntington. 

Section 2. This Act shall take effect from and after its 
passage. This was officially signed by Daniel C. Eddy, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, March 2, 1855. 
By Henrj^ W. Benchly, President of the Senate, March 6, 
1855. Approved by Henry J. Gardner, Governor, March 
9, 1855, and certified by E. M. Wright, Secretary of State, 
March 15, 1855. It was accepted by the town, March 26, 
of the same year. 

The territory now composing Huntington, began to be 
settled about 1760. It was then covered with a dense 
forest; it abounded in timber, which, at the present 
time, would be considered valuable ; beech, birch, maple, 
chestnut, pine and oak were found in great abundance. 
The first settlers of the place were from Norwich, Conn., 
and vicinity, hence the origin of the name given to 
their new home. Among the first who located here, the 
following names are preserved : 

John Kirkland, Caleb Fobes, "William Miller, David 
Scott, Isaac Mixer, John Rude, and Rhoades. John 
Kirkland resided on " the hill," where C. H. Kirkland 
now lives ; that place has, from the beginning, been in 
possession of the family of that name. 

Isaac Mixer lived on the place now owned and occu- 
pied by Horace Taylor, near Norwich bridge. Caleb 
Fobes lived a little farther up the river, where Mr. Brad- 
ley now resides. William Miller, John Rude, and Rhoades 
lived several miles still farther up the stream, near the 
north line of the towuvship ; it was in a section long 
known as Norwich Hollow. William Miller spent his 
first night in town on a small island near the 'present 
school-house in the Hollow. His object, in selecting this 
lodging-place, was to avoid the wolves which were then 
numerous. As in other new settlements, so here also. 



8 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

much of the time and labor of the first settlers were 
devoted to the removal of the forests, erecting dwellings, 
and making roads. Many of the houses were constructed 
of logs, rudely placed one above another, with openings 
at suitable places to admit the light. No special arrange- 
ments was needed for ventilation, the spaces between the 
logs being ample for that purpose. 

The first legal district meeting was held July 14, 1773. 
David Scott was chosen Moderator, John Kirkland, Clerk ; 
John Kirkland, Caleb Fobes, David Scott, Selectmen and 
Assessors ; David Scott, Treasurer ; Miles Washburn, Con- 
stable. District meetings were first held at the dwelling- 
house of Caleb- Fobes, afterwards at Isaac Mixer's hotel. 
The constable was directed to warn such meeting, by 
posting up a copy of the warrant at Isaac Mixer's grist- 
mill, which appears to have been located about half a 
mile, more or less, above Norwich bridge. 

This town came into existence as a district, it will be 
perceived, at an eventful period in the history of this 
country. Difficulties between the colonies and the 
mother country had already commenced. The contro- 
versy which led to the Revolution, and resulted in the 
independence of the States, was even then, to some ex- 
tent waged. The spirit of liberty pervaded the com- 
munity ; here, as elsewhere, it ran high. The patriot- 
ism of the inhabitants was aroused. In common with 
other places, some provision was here early made to aid 
in meeting the contest. In 1774, the district voted to 
provide powder, lead, flints and a drum for the use of the 
district. The same year, Ebenezer Meacham was chosen 
to attend the congress at Concord. September 23, 1774, 
at a legal district meeting, the resolves of a county con- 
gress held at Northampton were read and considered sat- 
isfactory. A committee w^as appointed to send to the 
Provincial Congress the sentiment of this district respect- 



niSTORT OF nUNTINGTOX. 9 

ing the public distresses of this province. It was also 
" Voted, that it was proper at this critical day, to form 
into a militaiy company for learning the art of military, 
and that Capt. Ebenezer Gear be requested to lead in the 
choice of officers. A military comjDany was accordingl}^ 
organized October G, 1774, by the choice of the following 
officers : John Kirkland, Captain ; David Scott, Lieuten- 
ant ; Ebenezer King, Ensign. As a precautionary measure, 
to guard against dangerous persons and paupers, certain 
individuals were voted out of the district, with the refusal 
to admit them as inhabitants. 

In 1775, it was "Voted to choose a committee, in com- 
pliance with the method adopted by the Provincial Con- 
gress, and also the same to be a committee of correspond- 
ence, and said committee are further enjoined by this 
body to take all possible methods to suppress disorder, 
and that every person shall be fairly heard before he is 
condemned, that we may enjoy our interest and prosper- 
ity peaceablj^, and live as Christians." When the war of 
the Revolution was fairly commenced Norwich furnished, 
it is believed, its full quota of men. Though the town 
records are on this point very imperfect ; yet from vari- 
ous sources the following names of Eevolutionary soldiers 
are obtained : Halsey Sandford, Stephen Angel, Isaac Coit. 

In the early history of Massachusetts, church edifices, 
being built and owned by the town in which they were 
located, were used for both secular and religious purposes. 
They were the places for all public gatherings. Accord- 
ingly March 19, 1781, it was '•' Voted, that town meetings 
be held at the meetini»:-house." This continued to be the 
practice here until 1841, when it was "Voted to give up 
the meeting-house to the first parish." The first district 
meeting held in it was April 2, 1781. In 1786, the dis- 
trict having become a town, with the right of representa- 
tion by itself, John Kirkhmd was chosen representative to 



10 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

the " Great and General Court." Since that tnne, the 
following individuals have been chosen to the same office : 
Aaron Hall, Jesse Joy, Rev. Stephen Tracv, Samuel Kirk- 
land, Martin Kirkland, Joseph Stanton, Silas Warner, 
Aaron B. Dimock, Augustus Clapp, Horace Tajdor, Lyman 
Dimock, Francis Harwood, Garry Munson, Rev. Ebenezer 
B. Wright, William Taylor, Henry Stanton, Thomas Ring, 
Charles H. Kirkland, E. H. Lathrop, E. N. Woods. The 
three last named were elected under the district system. 
Several years the town voted not to send a representative 
to the " General Court." Sometimes one was chosen, 
under instruction to attend or not, as the selectmen 
should judge expedient. The object in withholding rep- 
resentation, jDrobably was the saving of expense, as each 
town tlien had to pay its own representative. Maj. 
Thomas James Douglass was delegate to the convention 
that framed the State Constitution in 1788. 

Artemas Knight was the deleii;ate to the State conven- 
tion for revisino; the Constitution in 1820. Elkanah Rins; 
was sent to the convention, called for a similar purpose, 
in 1853. 

In 1841, the town having relinquished its right to the 
meeting-house as a place for public secular business, be- 
gan to agitate the question of building a town hall. After 
full and earnest discussion, in which much warmth of feel- 
ing was manifested, and many strains of eloquence were 
uttered, it was voted to erect such a building near 
Knightville. Aaron B. Dimock, Horace Taylor and Ash- 
ley Lyman were appointed a committee to locate and 
build the house. Efforts were subsequently made to 
change the location, but without effect; the edifice was 
completed, and the first legal town meeting held in it 
was March 21, 1842; this continued to be the place for 
holding town meetings not only till the annexation of 
more territory, but even until after the name of the town 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 11 

was changed. Several attempts were made to change the 
phice of meeting. In March, 1860, a vote was carried to 
hokl the fall meeting in Union Hall ; this was a room 
over the village school-house, owned by a company of 
individuals ; it was afterwards destroyed by fire ; the 
meeting was held according to the vote, but several sub- 
sequent meetings were held at the town house. Efforts 
continued to be made for a change ; at length in March, 
1861, while the snow storm raged without and heated 
discussion Avithin, it was voted 115 to 70 to hold future 
meetings at the village ; this seems to have been a final 
settlement of the question. 

Meetings were generally held at Union Hall until the 
destruction of the building by fire, in 1863. The same 
year a new school-house was erected, by the district, on 
the site of the old one. Over this, as in the case of the 
former one, was a hall, built, owned and controlled by an 
association of individuals ; the town appropriated five 
hundred dollars toward the expense of this, in considera- 
tion of which the perpetual right to hold legal town meet- 
ings in it was secured. It is hence known as Huntington 
Hall, or the Town Hall. 

In the early history of the town, facilities for communi- 
cation with other places w^ere very limited; no tele- 
graphs, railroads, or steamboats were then in use. It 
required several days to perform a journey to Boston or 
New York ; communications from the seat of the national 
government w^ere at least one, if not two or three weeks 
on the way, while it required months to carry intelligence 
across the ocean ; mails were transported by horse power 
and not very frequently or rapidly at that, especially in 
new country towns. A post-office was early established 
in the village, which was at that time called Falley's X 
Roads. The mail was carried by stage, running between 
Boston and Albany, by way of Springfield ; at first it 



12 HISTOEY OF HUNTINGTON. 

was carried each way twice a week ; at a later period it 
was increased to three times a week. This met the wants 
of the community then, and was regarded as satisfactory ; 
but at the j)resent day this would be regarded as hardly 
tolerable. After the completion of the Boston and Albany 
railroad, the name of the office was changed to Chester 
Village, to correspond with the name of the station. 
When the name of the town was changed, that of the 
post-office was also changed and called Huntington. In 
the first quarter of the present century, a post-office was 
established on " the hill," and named Norwich, wdth Wil- 
liam Hooker for postmaster. This was supplied with 
mail by a carrier passing once a week, each way, between 
Northampton and Falley's X Roads. 

When the war of the Rebellion broke out in 1861, 
Huntington was found true and loyal. As at the time of 
the Revolution, the fathers rose up and fought valiantly for 
freedom and independence, so the sons also volunteered 
and fought bravely for the maintenance of liberty, and 
the preservation of the government ; at the call of their 
country they marched forth under the stars and stripes, 
to suffer, and if necessary, to lay their lives on the altar 
for the salvation of the nation. With them, as with the 
fathers, the motto was liberty or death. 

Many of them suffered great privations and hardships ; 
some fell on the field of battle, others pined in hospitals 
and died of disease ; others still, returned to their friends 
and families, with wounds and scars, which attest their 
bravery, and their attachment to the Union. All honor 
to their country's defenders. May they and their descend- 
ants, to the latest generation, enjoy the fruit of their toil 
and sacrifices. Such is their love of country and their 
attachment to the old flag, that if occasion should call for 
it, they would, no doubt, march to the field again with 
as much bravery as before. Their former sacrifices and 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 



13 



sufferings in behalf of their country, have made it dearer 
to their hearts than it was before. 

The following is the list of soldiers from Huntington, 
who served their country in the war of the Rebellion. 



Joseph Underwood, 
*Cbarles H. Gardner, 
Charles Ferry, 
Charles R. Copeland, 
Charles Otis, 
Austin Richards, 
Phineas F. Knight, 
Henry A. Weeks, 
*Heury W. Strong, 
John Quinn, 
Hiram A. Beach, 
David G. Hannum, 
Daniel F. Knight, 
*Andrew Lacy, 
*Henry Gooch, 
Edward N. Smith, 
Lewis Samuels, 
James Coleman, 
Esbon J. Burt, 
Darius N. Weeks, 
William Crossett, 
Lewis E. Corvette, 
Gilbert Branning, 
Albert Thomas, 
Erastus V. Lilley, 
William N. Otis, 
Horace H. Gorham, 
Alanson C. Lewis, 
John N. Moore, 
W^illiam Cady, 
Rufus E. Lyman, 
Francis H. Axtell, 
J. Lindsey Nilcs, 
Dudley Driscoll, 
Harvey Porter, 



William C. Filley, 
^Frederick Taylor, 
George W. Filley, 
Isaac C. Blanchard, 
John A. Decker, 
*Calvia Porter, 

* William H. Decker, 
*Timothy Coleman, 
Hugh B. Laidley, 

* Albert Holbrook, 
Henry A. Stewart, 
*Nelson Knight, 
*Robert Canfield, 
Asa P. Merritt, 
Edwin H. Coit, 
*Julian A. Wing, 
*Albert B. Rude, 
*Marcus Lyon, 
Caleb H. Stickney, 
Horace N. Weeks, 
Edgar F. Kyle, 
Samuel Rust, 
Willie Allard, 
Calvin Porter, Jr., 
Ralph Joslyn, 
Jonathan A. Lilley, 
Joseph Stanton, Jr., 
*E. H. Chapman, 
Asa N. Elder, 
Levi Phelps, 
Leander J. Beals, 
Charles H. Kirkland, 

* David H. Coit, 
Henry Beach, 
Marshall 0. Fisk, 



♦Died in the Service. 



14 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 



*Isaae C. Drake, 
John Hurley, 
Moses W. Hannum, 
Eleazer Bryant, 
James J). Widdlebrook, 
Austin T. Hancock, 
Eurvvell Seymour, 
Benjamin F. Hall, 
*Orange F. Sampson, 
Charles M. Otis, 
*Jobn B. Lyman, Jr., 
Joseph R. Giddings, 
William James, 
Chester H. Weston, 
Charles E. Roach, 
Appleton Vaderkin, 
William T. Withington, 
Gilbert W. Branning, 
Lorenzo Brown, 
H. E. Stanton, 



Ritfus H. Fisk, 
Roswell B. Merritt, 
Mile Wing, 
Jason H. Fisk, 
Hophni D. Strong, 
*Roland M. Kingsley, 
Harlow Gamwell, Assistant Sur- 
geon in 2d Mass. Cavalry. 
Harvey H. Billings, 
James S. Patterson, 
* Wilson G. Stevens, 
Edwin F. Giddings, 
George F. Horton, 
*Charles F. Randall, 
Charles Hathaway, 
Charles H. Reinhardt, 
Benjamin Barker, 
Myron A. Munson, 
Georo;e Walker. 



Of the fatal casualties that have occurred here, only a 
few can be named, for lack of authentic records. Some 
sixty years ago, more or less, Oliver Hastings was thrown 
from a horse and killed, in the " Hollow," near John 
Rude's present residence. 

William Lindsey, Jr., was thrown from a hand-car on 
the railroad and killed, in 1841, aged twenty-seven years. 

The dead body of Lester B. Latham was found by the 
side of the highway towards Blandford, in 1842. His 
gun was lying by the body. It is supposed that he 
accidentally shot himself. 

In 1874, Dea. Henry Stanton was thrown from a wagon- 
load of logs and killed, in the village. 

Rodney Fisk was drowned in attempting to cross the 
river in a boat, above the Pitcher bridge, in 1873. 

Oren Burt was killed by a falling tree. 

In 1870, William H. Wells, son of Alonzo Wells, was 
killed in the Massasoit paper-mill, aged five years. 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 15 

Several indivicliials have, in various ways, lost their life 
on the railroad, ^yhose names and manner of death are 
not recorded. 

A number of human l)()dies have also at different 
times been taken from the river, the cause of whose 
death is not known. It is supposed that some were 
accidentally drowned, while it is conjectured that others 
committed suicide. In many of these cases, at least, 
survivors have been left in doubt and uncertainty ; they 
will probably find no definite solution of the matter in 
this life, if they do in the next. 

In 1844, malignant erysipelas extensively prevailed in 
some portions of the town ; many fell victims to it, and 
passed away. 

Small pox has several times visited the place, but with 
no remarkably fatal results. 

In July, 1819, there was a freshet which might well be 
called a flood. Nearly or quite every bridge in the town 
was swept away. Mills floated off in the stream, the 
dwelling-house of William Lindsey was carried away ; 
other buildings were undermined, and several individuals 
narrowly escaped with life. It was a time of great sad- 
ness and distress. Other freshets, on a smaller scale, 
have sometimes done much damage to roads, bridges, 
mills and dams. 

INDUSTRIAL. 

In the early history of the town, agriculture was the 
leading industrial pursuit. Men, with resolute hearts and 
strong arms, removed the forests and cultivated the soil. 
From the earth they drew their sustenance. Corn, rye, 
oats and potatoes were the staple vegetable productions 
for food. Seeds were sown and crops harvested, not as 
now, by machinery, but by hand. Mowing machines, 
horse rakes, and various other modern implements of 



16 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

husbandry, were then unknown. Beef, pork and mutton, 
produced by themselves, furnished them with meat, while 
from the mountain streams their tables were liberally 
supplied with delicious fish. What is now the west, 
furnishing the east with bread and meat, was then a vast 
wilderness, or broad uncultivated prairie. Instead of 
depending upon New Orleans, or the West Indies for sugar 
and molasses, they tapped the maple and drew the sap, 
from which, by their own labor, they procured a supply 
for domestic use, and often a surplus to exchange for other 
necessaries. Flax was a product of much importance in 
those days ; this, together with the wool from the sheep, 
furnished the clothing for the people. The women manu- 
factured the cloth from these articles, without the aid of 
machinery propelled by either water or steam power. 
They carded, spun, and wove the linen and the wool by 
hand ; the great and little wheel, as well as the loom, 
were found in nearly every dwelling, and all the women 
knew how to use them ; they were better players on 
these than on the melodeon, and piano-forte. " They 
sought wool and flax, and worked willingly with their 
hands." " They laid their hands to the spindle, and their 
hands held the distaff." Some made fine linen and sold 
it. In the s]3ring, long pieces of cloth might be seen 
spread upon the green grass, which the faithful house- 
keej)er was hourly watering from her sprinkler, to aid in 
the bleaching process. Thus they ate not the bread of 
idleness ; their families were comfortably, and decently 
clothed ; they felt a degree of pride in being able to 
say " all these things are the fruit of our own industry." 
Some other branches of industry were necessarily pur- 
sued. The carpenter found employment in the erection 
of needed buildings, and the blacksmith in making and 
repairing the rude implements of husbandry. These 
were mainly of domestic manufacture, and generally 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON". 17 

coarse and clumsy, compared with those now in use ; 
some farmers made nearly all the tools used by them in 
their employment. The grist mill was a necessary ma- 
chine for grinding the grain. Hence, Mixer's mill was 
early built, and at a later date, another was erected a short 
distance below the Pitcher bridge. Other branches of 
productive industry were gradually introduced. 

More than half a century ago, Caleb Hannum erected 
a factory on " the hill," for the manufacture of axes and 
other edge tools ; these were extensively used, and had 
a high reputation for their cutting properties. After his 
death, his sons, Caleb W. and Harvey Hannum continued 
the business for a while at the old stand, and subse- 
quently for several years in the village. 

Other parties early commenced the manufacture of 
whetstones in the northerly part of the town ; these 
were produced in sufficient number, not only for home 
consumption, but for export. Thus means were furnished 
to keep the edge tools in working order. 

Stephen Taylor had a shop for dressing cloth, near 
where the Taylor bridge now stands. 

Augustus Clapp and Horace Taylor had a similar shop, 
with a carding machine attached, near Norwich bridge. 
To these establishments the farmers carried their cloth to 
be dressed, and made ready for garments. Collins and 
Wade manufactured cotton sheeting where the Highland 
mill now stands ; but no great amount of manufacturing 
was done here until after the completion of the Boston 
and Albany railroad. Here it may be noticed, that though 
Huntington is an obscure town in one corner of the 
county, yet it was the first town in the county favored 
with railroad privileges. This internal improvement gave 
a new impulse to business in the village. It drew people 
from the surrounding hills to the vicinity of the railroad 
station. Some, indeed, carried on their business flirthor 

3 



18 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

back ; E. and T. Ring, for a number of years, manu- 
factured sleds, wagons, and cabs for children, at Knight- 
ville, and A. T. Hancock is still making sleighs at the 
same place. Parley Hutchins has been, and still is manu- 
facturing wooden bowls on the middle branch of the 
Westfield river, some two miles from the railroad ; but 
the greater part of the manufacturing has been and still 
is near the station. 

Alfred Copeland manufactured bedsteads, on a liberal 
scale, for several years ; this business subsequently passed 
into the hands of Benjamin Little and Son. 

R. S. Bartlett and L. B. Williams made baskets several 
years, under the firm of Bartlett and Williams. 

Carpenters' and joiners' tools of the first quality have 
been manufactured by Melvin Copeland. This business, 
with all modern improvements in machinery, is now car- 
ried on by James F. and George M. Lindsey. Their pro- 
ductions have the reputation of being equal, if not supe- 
rior, to any now in the market. 

The manufacture of paper was commenced here in 1853. 
The mill was built the previous year by 0. H. Greenleaf 
and Lewis H. Taylor, and other stockholders, and was for 
several years run under the firm name of Greenleaf and 
Taylor. It was at first employed in the manufacture of 
paper used for various printing purposes ; but for several 
years past, it has been devoted to the production of fine 
writing paper. Its capacity is now about a ton and a 
half per day. At present it belongs to the Massasoit 
Paper Company, whose headquarters are at Springfield. 
It is run under the name of the Chester Paper Com- 
pany. 

In 1868, William A. Little and A. J. Stanton were 
manufacturing flannel and Marseilles bedspreads. They 
claim to be the first in this country, to produce this last 
named article by power looms. They were aided in this 



HISTORY OF nUNTINGTOX. 19 

work by German operatives, especially a family by the 
name of Stelger, wbo bad been trained to tbis work in 
their own country. Little and Stanton, baving been 
twice burned out, abandoned their business here. Clar- 
ence Whitaker erected a factory in 1867, and run it a 
short time, making cotton yarn ; he was also burned 
out and left the place. 

The Highland mill was built in 1870 by a stock com- 
pany, and run by the same for a short time, when it 
passed into the hands of Frost and Daniels, who now own 
it. It is now used for the manufacture of flannel and 
lap robes of superior quality. In 1875, W. P. Williams 
erected an axe factory about half a mile above the vil- 
lage, on the main branch of the Westfield river. Other 
edge tools of excellent quality are also made there. 
Connected with this is a saw mill and grist mill, run by 
H. E. Stanton and Myron R. Fisk. 

Samuel T. Lyman for several years manufactured tin 
ware and sheet iron pans for the use of farmers in mak- 
ing maple sugar. That business has recently passed into 
the hands of Edward A. Allen. 

Elisha B. Cole has for a few years past manufactured 
baskets on an improved plan, for which he has received 
a patent ; he still carries on that business. 

E. N. AYoods has for many years been engaged in the 
manufacture and sale of boots and shoes ; he is at pres- 
ent in the same business. For several years Charles 
Pomeroy carried on the same business. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

The educational interests of the town have always been 
attended to, though perhaps not as extensively and ef- 
fectively as in some neighboring towns. Still, the intel- 
lectual culture of the young has not been wholly neg- 
lected. The common school has been the main institu- 



20 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON". 

tion of learning. This was early established. In 1773 
the district voted to raise £10 for the support of schools. 
This sum, however, appeared so extravagant, that at a 
subsequent meeting, after full and free discussion, the 
vote was reconsidered and the sum reduced to £4. The 
appropriations were from time to time increased, till in 
1797 £100 were raised for this purpose. In 1875, $2,000 
were raised ; this is the largest sum ever appropriated 
by the town for schools in any one year. School districts 
were early established which, like little democracies, 
managed their own affairs. Under authority from the 
town they chose their own officers and contracted with 
their teachers who, according to the prevailing custom, 
were expected to "board round." The boundaries of 
districts were altered from time to time as the interests 
of education seemed to demand. The district system 
continued here until 1869, Avhen by act of the legislature 
it was abolished throughout the Commonwealth. Since 
that time all the public schools have been managed by 
the committee of the town. For a few years Dr. J. H. 
Goddard, a member of the committee by vote of the 
Board, took the sole charge of the schools, acting as su- 
perintendent ; in 1876 the town voted to discontinue 
this practice. Though the common school has been the 
main reliance for education, it has not accomjDlished all 
that has been done. Private and select schools of a 
higher order have been frequent and well sustained ; 
these have tended to raise the standard of education in 
the common schools. Notwithstanding the limited advan- 
tages here enjoyed, several individuals have elsewhere 
obtained a higher education and entered the learned pro- 
fessions, or filled other places of trust and responsibility 
in public life. Among these the following may be 
named : 

Edward Kirkland graduated at Amherst College in 



HISTORY OF ntJNTlNGTOK. 21 

1831 ; he studied law and practiced his profession sev- 
eral years in Brattleboro, Vt., where he died January 6. 
1866. 

Henry B. Taylor graduated at Williams College ; he 
went into the ministry, and is still living. 

Henry B. Lewis entered Amherst College and took a 
part of the course, when failing health made it necessary 
that he should leave. He subsequently studied law, and 
was admitted to the bar in 1854. He is now in the prac- 
tice of his profession, filling also the office of trial justice 
in Westfield, Mass. 

Homer B. Stevens, a native of this place, fitted for col- 
lege at Williston Seminary, Easthampton, and graduated 
at Williams College in 1857. He read law with E. B. 
Gillett, of Westfield, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. 
He practiced a short time in Boston and then formed 
copartnership for law practice with E. B. Gillett at West- 
field, where he is at present in the firm of Gillett and 
Stevens. He is also a trial justice. 

Alfred J. Taylor graduated at Yale College in 1859. 
He is now a successful and prominent lawyer in New 
York City. 

Alfred M. Copeland studied law and practiced a few 
years in this place. He is now in practice in Springfield, 
Mass., and is assistant police judge. 

Myron A. Munson graduated at Harvard University in 
1860. He studied theology at Andover Seminary, and is 
still in the ministry. 

Harvey Porter graduated at Amherst College in 1870. 
He was valedictorian in his class and is now Professor of 
Metaphysics, Logic and History in the Protestant College 
at Beirut, Syria. 

Oscar D. Thomas studied at Newton Theological Sem- 
inary and is now settled in the ministry in West Spring- 
field, Mass. 



22 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

Asaliel H. Lyman graduated at the Agricultural Col- 
lege in Amherst. 

E. N. Woods and A. M. Copeland have held the office 
of trial justice here. Garry Munson now fills that posi- 
tion. 

The following individuals from this place have entered 
the medical profession: Luke Stanton, Alden Samson, 
Edward Ellis, Horatio G. Stickney, Charles D. Stickney, 
Theodore G. Wright, Ellsworth S. Ellis, Harlow Fisk. 

From this, as well as from other country towns, many 
individuals not educated for professional life have gone 
forth to engage in various business enterprises, who have 
been successful in their efforts. Among these may appro- 
priately be named Harvey Kirkland, of Northampton, 
who was for many years register of deeds for the county 
of Hampshire, and who has held a prominent place in 
some other departments of business. Several by the 
name of Falley and Collins and Munson and Kirkland, 
have, in different places, been prominent business men. 
Some of them are still in active life in the great centers 
of business and need no special mention here. When 
they shall have passed away, history will no doubt do 
them justice. 

The following physicians have practiced their profes- 
sion here : James Holland, Leonard Williams, Martin 
Phelps, Caleb H. Stickney, S. D. Brooks, Charles Holland, 
John H. Gilbert, William Dwight, Noah S. Bartlett, Wil- 
liam 0. Bell, Charles K. Crossett, Harlow Gamwell, J. H. 
Goddard, William R. Elder. Present practitioners, J. N. 
Dickson, E. D. Hutchinson, Milo Wing; E. D. Green- 
wood, dentist. 

Among the lawyers who have practiced their profession 
here, the following may be named : 

Asahel Wright, a native of Windsor, Mass., and a grad- 
uate of Williams College in the class of 1803. He after- 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 23 

wards removed to Chester Center, where he died in 1830. 
He was respected in life and lamented in death. 

Samuel Johnson was in practice here many years. lie 
is thus described by a member of the bar: "He was a 
singular man in his dress and in all his tastes. His hair 
was long and uncropped, with a profusion of unguents per- 
meating the mass, the whole brush apparently innocent 
of a comb, every hair standing, lying and curling inde- 
pendently and as if at war with every other hair of his 
head ; his capacious pantaloons, constructed probably 
according to his own directions, certainly not by the con- 
ception of any possible tailor, his large frock coat, with 
its long flowing skirts, extending itself beyond the dimen- 
sions of an overcoat, an immense loosely rolled bundle 
of white muslin encircling his neck, a narrow outbreak 
of cotton cloth below the short vest and above the neth- 
er garment, betokening a shirt, and to crown the whole 
an old-fashioned, yellow seal-skin, bell-crowned hat on 
the top of his head, completed the picture of an object 
that would have made the fortune of any collector of rare 
curiosities, or called together a crowd at the museum of 
Showman Barnum. He was a large, good-looking man 
of over six feet in height, and more than two hundred 
pounds avoirdupois, erect in form and dignified in his car- 
riage, stately and formal in his address, deep-toned and 
deliberate in his utterances, impressing a beholder with 
the belief that he possessed all the wisdom that he pre- 
tended to have and perhaps something more." " On one 
occasion, he argued a case before the court at the law 
term ; and it was said that the court was divided on the 
question which was the most remarkable, the lawyer or 
his argument." He afterwards removed to the West, 
where he continued the practice of his profession. 

Homer Clark had a law office here for a short time. 
Daniel Granger, now of Chester, A. M. Copeland, now of 



24 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

Springfield, and E, H. Lathrop of Springfield, present 
district attorney for the western district of Massachu- 
setts, have practiced law here. 

For the intellectual improvement of the people gen- 
erally, Hon. C. P. Huntington made a donation of |100, 
to establish a public library, on condition that the town 
should appropriate an equal amount for the same object. 
The condition was accepted and the library established ; 
Mr. Huntington selected the books. Unfortunately this 
valuable collection of books was destroyed in 1865, by the 
burning of the building where it was kept. 

ECCLESIASTICAL. 

In the early history of Massachusetts, the word town 
denoted both civil and ecclesiastical boundaries; every 
town, at its incorjDoration became a parish, or religious 
society ; it so remained until another parish was formed 
on its territory, when what remained was considered the 
first parish. The terms town, parish, precinct were early 
used indiscriminately, for both civil and ecclesiastical pur- 
poses ; every town was required to support religious in- 
stitutions ; a minister must be employed and public wor- 
ship maintained. " A division of a town into two or 
more parishes must be legally and regularly done, by 
order of the General Court." " Every man in the town, 
parish, precinct, or district, with his lands, was to con- 
tribute for the support of the gospel in the town, parish, 
or precinct in which he lived, unless specially exempt." 
If any refused to do this voluntarily, they were compelled 
by force of law. The statute of 1652 required all towns 
to be supplied with " a minister, a meeting-house and a 
parsonage, and all the inhabitants to be taxed for their 
support." " In case of defect in any congregation, or 
town, the county court ordered what maintenance should 
be allowed and issued warrants to the selectmen, to assess 



HISTORY OF HUNTlNGTOiS". 25 

the inhabitants to that amount." If a town felt aggrieved 
by this assessment, appeal could be made to the General 
Court. "In 1800 we have the exact penalties stated, 
which towns should pay for neglecting to supply good 
preaching to the people." For neglect, three months 
out of six, the penalty was from thirty to sixty dollars ; 
if the neglect was repeated, the penalty w%ns from sixty 
to one hundred dollars; applications of individuals to be 
set off from one parish to another had to be made to the 
General Court. These were frequent as late as the com- 
mencement of the present century. In earlier times the 
applicant had to make out a very strong case before he 
could gain his object. 

Not only were all the inhabitants made to aid in sup- 
porting religious institutions, but they were also required 
to attend public worship, under legal penalties for neglect 
of the same. A fine of five shillings was, at one time, 
the penalty for absence on the Lord's day, Fast day, or 
Thanksgiving. The statute respecting absentees was 
modified in 1791, but not repealed until 1835 ; our 
fathers thus seemed to regard the morality and religion 
taught in the Bible, as necessary, not only for individual 
welfare, but as vitally essential to the stability and pros- 
perity of the State ; they hence aimed to make this the 
foundation of all their institutions. Such being the pub- 
lic sentiment, and such the legal enactments, the inliTibi- 
tants of that part of Murrayfield, embraced in the limits 
of Norwich, were, before the division, made to help sup- 
port the religious institutions of Murrayfield ; being re- 
quired thus to contribute, they claimed also the right to 
have a voice respecting the place of public worship. 
Hence after the settlement of Rev. Aaron Bascom as the 
minister of Murrayfield, in 1769, to the time when Nor- 
wich w^as incorporated as a district, there was much warm 
discussion of this subject, and some unholy feeling niani- 



26 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON". 

fested. It was at length decided that Rev. Mr. Bascom 
should preach one-third of the time at Mixer's tavern, 
near Norwich bridge, and the remainder of the time at 
the center. This arrangement appears to have continued 
about three years ; but it was unsatisfactory, and attended 
with considerable friction. This subject had, perhaps, 
as much influence as any other, in bringing about a divi- 
sion of the town. 

After the incorporation of Norwich as a district, in 
accordance with law and usage, the inhabitants of that 
territory must assume the responsibility of supporting 
religious institutions by themselves. This they accord- 
ingly did. In 1773, the year of their incorporation, it 
was voted at a legal district meeting, to raise <£10 for the 
support of the gospel ; preaching services were held for 
a time at private houses — those of John Kirkland, Caleb 
Fobes and Ebenezer King being the more common places 
of worship. A church was organized in July, 1778, com- 
posed of the following named persons : William Miller 
and Elizabeth, his wife, Samuel Knight and Betsey, his 
wife, Thomas Converse and his wife, John Kirkland, 
Samuel Warner, Joseph Park, Jonathan Ware, John Gris- 
wold, Edward Bancroft and others whose names are not 
preserved. The following clergymen assisted at the organ- 
ization of the church : Rev. Messrs. Jonathan Judd, of 
Southampton, Jonathan Huntington of Worthington, and 
Aaron Bascom of Chester. The Congregational polity 
was adopted, with the system of faith embraced in 
the Westminster Assembly's shorter Catechism. This 
is now known as the First Congregational Church of Hunt- 
ington. John Kirkland and Jonathan Ware were the 
first deacons appointed ; for some time after the organi- 
zation of the church, the pulpit was supplied by different 
individuals, whose stay was transient. 

The first settled pastor was Rev. Stephen Tracy, of 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 27 

Norwich, Conn., and a graduate of the College of New 
Jersey, in the class of 1770 ; he was installed May 23, 
1781 ; the town voted him, as compensation, a yearly 
salary of <£4() for five years, then to increase <£4 annually 
until it reached £50 ; they also gave him a settlement 
of <£100; this sum was exclusive of his salary. It was 
the custom of the parishes or towns, in those days, to give 
the minister something to commence with ; he was thus 
able to own at least a comfortable residence, if not a 
good farm. In 1797, it was voted to raise £90 for Mr. 
Tracy's salary, including his fire wood. Not many years 
after his settlement, difficulties arose between the pastor 
and the people ; what was the cause of these, or in what 
particular forms they were manifested, does not appear 
from the records. 

It seems probable, however, that it was something in 
connection wdth the payment of salary ; but whatever 
was the ground of complaint, dissatisfaction continued to 
increase, until it became so extensive that it Avas deemed 
advisable to dissolve the connection. 

This was accomplished January 1, 1799. As ministers 
were in those days, usually settled for life, it was customary 
when one w^as dismissed by request of the parish, to pay 
him something in consideration of his removal, and loss of 
employment. It was not as easy then, as at the present 
day, to step immediately into another parish. But in 
1798, it was voted that the town wish not to give Mr. 
Tracy anything at his dismission ; at the same time they 
made this proposition ; that they would leave it to in- 
different men, mutually chosen by each party, to say 
whether the town shall give him anything, or he them. 
He continued to reside in the town many years after his 
dismission. 

Rev. Benjamin R. Woodbridge was the second pastor. 
He was a native of South Hadley, and graduated at 



28 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

Dartmouth College in 1795; he was ordained and installed 
October 17, 1799; he was settled on condition that 
when two-thirds of the parish desired a change, he should 
leave ; any condition of this kind was unusual in those 
days ; it was regarded as endangering the stability of the 
ministry, the permanence of the pastoral relation, and 
the prosperity of the churches ; it was probably suggested 
in this case, by the difficulty experienced in the removal 
of Mr. Tracy. Mr. Woodbridge lived a life of celibacy. 
A brother and sister, also immarried, resided with him ; 
these three constituted the family. 

There is a tradition, no doubt well founded, that the 
minister was once engaged to be married to a daughter 
of his predecessor; but another man supplanted him and 
took her to wife ; to add to the grief of the heart-stricken 
pastor and make his cup still more bitter, he was called 
to perform the marriage ceremony ; the wedding scene is 
described as in a high degree sensational. He was dis- 
missed June 28, 1831, and removed to South Hadley 
where he spent the remainder of his days. 

The third pastor was Rev. Samuel Russell, a graduate 
of Dartmouth College in the class of 1821 ; he was in- 
stalled September 3, 1832, and dismissed January 1, 1835. 
He died the 27th day of the same month ; in his last 
sickness he requested his family neither to attend his 
funeral, nor make any preparation for it on Sunday ; he 
wished to have them follow the example of the disciples, 
when the body of the Master was in the tomb, and spices 
had been prepared for it, and rest '• the Sabbath day ac- 
cordinsi: to the commandment." 

Rev. Alvah C. Page, a graduate of Amherst in 1829, 
was installed the same day that Mr. Russell was dismissed, 
and by the same ecclesiastical council. He was dismissed 
July 20, 1836. 

The next pastor was Rev. Ebenezer B. Wright, a native 



HISTORY OF UUNTINGTON. 29 

of Westhampton, and a graduate of Williams College in 
1814, Andover Theological Seminary in 1817. He was 
installed February 23, 1842, and dismissed in 1818; he 
was subsequently employed several years as chaplain, in 
the State almshouse in Monson. lie afterwards retired to 
this place, where he died August 19, 1871. 

Rev. John R. Miller succeeded Mr. Wright ; he was a 
native of Williamsburg, Mass., and graduated at Union 
College, Schenectady, in 1844, in the same class with Gov- 
ernor A. H. Kice. He was installed the day that his pred- 
ecessor was dismissed, and dismissed December 19, 1853. 
He was subsequently pastor of the Congregational Church 
in Suffield, Conn., for several years ; he at length returned 
to Williamsburg, where he died November 2, 1869, aged 
51 years. 

Eev. J. H. M. Leland was settled June 15, 1854, and 
dismissed November 13, 1855. He now resides in Am- 
herst, Mass., and is a deacon in the First Church. 

Rev. Henry A. Austin was the next pastor ; he was 
born in Becket, and graduated at Union College in 1847 ; 
he was ordained and installed November 6, 1856, and dis- 
missed July 20, 1859 ; that church has had no settled 
pastor since ; different individuals have occupied the pul- 
pit, as stated supplies. Among these may be named 
Edward Clarke, William E. 13. Moore, F. Hawley, E. S. 
Tingley ; the present acting pastor is Rev. C. W. Fifield. 
That church has thus lived almost a century, and has 
enjoyed the regular preaching of the gospel the whole 
time. 

There have been seasons of prosperity and days of 
adversity; causes, beyond their control, have drawn away 
population from that locality, so that their numbers have 
been much diminished, with no prospect of an immediate 
increase. Changes of centers of business and more fer- 
tile lands in the western portion of our country, have 



30 HISTORT OF HUNTINGTON. 

here, as in many other places, drawn many away from 
the home of their fathers. The number of members 
January 1, 1876, was seventy-six. 

The first church edifice erected in this town, was on 
" the hill/' a few rods east of the one now used by the 
First Congregational society. It was located near where 
the school-house now stands ; it was a one story building, 
rudely constructed, unsightly in exterior, and uncomfort- 
able Avithin ; the adornments of modern times were want- 
ing ; but it answered for purposes of devotion ; the pray- 
ers and praises there were as acceptable to God, as though 
offered within marble walls, beneath a gilded spire. The 
date of the erection of this house cannot be ascertained. 

The second church edifice was built in 1790. There 
were, at that time, wide diversities of views about its 
location ; the inhabitants of the north and west parts of 
the town, claimed that it ought to be more centrally 
located than the former one was ; many meetings were 
held to settle the question, much eloquence was displayed, 
and a large amount of bad feeling developed. It was 
finally decided to build where the present edifice stands, 
and it was voted that some of the disaffected might be 
released from paying their proportion of the expense. 
The building erected was a plain two-story edifice, with- 
out any steeple ; a porch on one side formed the entrance 
below, wdth a stairw^ay for the gallery ; the pulpit was on 
the side opposite the entrance ; over the pulpit was sus- 
pended a large sounding-board ; galleries were on three 
sides, with seats for the singers in front, and pews in the 
rear for the young people ; the pew^s on both floors were 
square pens, with seats on at least three sides ; no man 
claimed to own a pew ; the people were annually seated 
according to age by the selectmen of the town. It was 
used in the coldest weather, without any heating appara- 
tus, except the foot-stoves of a few old ladies ; these 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON". 31 

were sometimes passed around the pew for the benefit of 
all its occupants ; the knocking of men's boots together, to 
keep the feet warm, often made considerable clattering. 

The present edifice occupied by that church was built 
in 1841 ; it is in modern style, with steeple without and 
suitable means of heating within ; it was dedicated Febru- 
ary 10, 1842. Rev. E. Davis, D. D., of Westfield, preached 
the sermon on the occasion. 

In the first quarter of the present century, (date not 
ascertained,) a Methodist Church organization was formed 
in what is now Huntington village. It was then called 
Falley's X Roads ; meetings were held in the school-house. 
The preachers were mostly itinerants, called circuit siders, 
sent out by the conference ; among their preachers we 
find the following names : Rev. Messrs. Cyrus Culver, 
Moulton, Lewis, Robbins, McLauth, Father Taylor, Wil- 
liam Taylor, William A. Braraan, Clark, Dayton, Marcy 
and Cook. In 1836 a church building was erected ; it 
stood on the line of Blandford and Chester.; when new 
territory was annexed to Norwich, it came within the 
limits of that town ; this house was built by the voluntary 
subscriptions of people of different denominational pref- 
erences, with the understanding that the majority should 
decide by what denomination it should be occupied ; the 
Methodists had the control of it for a series of years, but 
it was never legally conveyed to their church authority. 
Subsequently it was occupied alternately by Methodists 
and Congregationalists ; more recently it has passed into 
the possession of the Baptists, who now occupy it. Though 
built by subscription, many of the subscribers subse- 
quently took the value of their subscription in pews, 
which they held by legal right ; these were from time to 
time conveyed from one individual to another by deed. 
This house has several times been remodeled, and is now 
convenient and comfortable for worship ; it answers the 



32 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

purpose, not only for Sabbath services, but also for even- 
ing meetings during the week. 

The Second Congregational society was legally organ- 
ized, by the choice of officers, January 12, 1846. The 
object of this organization is thiis stated by those who 
formed it — " To support public worship and permanently 
maintain the various institutions of Christianity, to ad- 
vance the cause of evangelical religion and sound moral- 
ity, and for the attainment of such other objects, and the 
promotion of such other interests, as are generally con- 
templated by similar organizations." This declaration of 
their object was signed by Edward Taylor, and twenty- 
six others, some of whom remain to the present time, 
though the greater part have passed away, either by 
death or removal. They had, at that time, no separate 
church edifice of their own, but as they had an interest 
in that built by subscription, in common, and then occu- 
pied by the Methodists, they used that a portion of the 
time. 

The question of building an edifice of their own was 
at length agitated. November 18, 1847, the society, at 
a legal meeting, voted to build a house for public wor- 
ship and to try to raise $2,500 for this purpose ; this 
sum then seemed large ; but they went forward with 
their enterprise until it was crowned with success; the 
whole cost of that building was about $4,000 ; but with 
open hearts and liberal hands, the expense was met. 
This house answered their purpose for public worship 
until January 12, 18G3, when, unfortunately, it was con- 
sumed by fire, together with the school-house and Union 
Hall standing near it. Not disheartened by this disaster, 
the society immediately resolved to erect a new edifice 
on the site of the one destroyed ; a vote to this effect 
was passed only twelve days after the fire ; the same 
year the edifice now used was built at an expense, in- 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 33 

eluding bell and furniture, of about $7,000. This build- 
ing was used for a few years, not only for public worship 
on the Sabbath, but for evening meetings also, during the 
week. Though admirably adapted to the wants of the 
people for Sabbath services, it was still not as appropriate 
to some other exercises ; there was a felt necessity for 
some more convenient place for prayer-meetings and social 
gatherings ; to supply this lack. Miss Julia Taylor made 
the parish a donation of $1,500 to aid in building a 
chapel ; other sums were also contributed for this pur- 
pose. The building was erected in 1869 ; the whole 
expense, including land and furniture was not far from 
$2,000. It is happily adapted to the object for which it 
was built ; it stands a perpetual monument to the memory 
of Miss Julia Taylor ; though dead, she still speaks. May 
her salutary influence be perpetuated to the end of time. 
" The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." 

The Second Congregational Church was organized 
August 26, 1846; it was composed of twenty-eight mem- 
bers ; most of these united by letter from other churches — 
some by profession. The following clergymen assisted at 
the organization : Emerson Davis, Ebenezer B. Wright, 
John H. Bisbee, Edward Clarke, Francis Wariner. 

So broad and catholic were the views of the first mem- 
bers of this church, so kind and tender their feelings 
towards Christians of other church organizations, that the 
clergyman who was appointed to address them, was spe- 
cially requested to be careful not to say anything which 
would in the least, reflect imfavorabty upon any other 
denomination, or imply any hostility, or antagonism to 
any branch of the household of faith. 

The council which organized the church, at the same 
time and place, ordained Rev. Perkins K. Clark to the 
work of the gospel ministry, as an evangelist. He sup- 
plied the pulpit for several years, preaching a part of 



34 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

the time at Chester ; until they had a church edifice of 
their own, they worshiped in what is now the Baptist 
Church, the Methodists occupying it half the time. The 
first deacons appointed were Melvin Copeland and Ed- 
ward M. Taylor. 

December 27, 1853, Rev. Townsend Walker, having 
received and accepted a call, was installed pastor of this 
church ; he was from Monterey, a graduate of Williams 
College in the class of 1839 ; he remained pastor until 
August 2, 18G5, w^hen, in a state of feeble health, he was 
regularly dismissed. He was subsequently settled in 
Goshen, Mass., where he died, in the pastoral office, July 
31, 1873, aged sixty-one years. 

After his dismission at Huntington, the pulpit was sup- 
plied one year by James A. Bates, a returned missionary. 

Rev. John H. Bisbee was the second settled pastor of 
this church ; he was installed April 10, 1867 ; he was a 
native of Chesterfield, Mass., and graduated at Union 
College in 1831 ; he studied theology at the Seminary in 
Auburn, N. Y. He previously labored in the pastoral 
office five years in Middlefield, and twenty-eight years in 
Worthington. He is still pastor of this church. 

Since the organization of this church, two hundred and 
twenty-seven additional members have been received, 
making a total of two hundred and fifty-five. But so 
many have been the removals by death and dismission, 
that the present number is but ninety-nine ; these changes 
are adapted to remind the living that " here have we no 
continuing city." 

A Baptist Church was organized in Chester, June 23, 
1812, composed of twenty-six members. " The same day, 
Samuel Otis and Joseph Stanton were ordained deacons, 
by prayer and laying on of hands." The following clergy- 
men assisted in this service : Rev. Bennett Pepper of 
Southwick, Rev. Asa Todd of Chesterfield, Rev. Amos 



HISTORY OF nUNTIKGTOISr. 85 

Kingsley of Becket, Rev. Abraham Jackson of Hinsdale. 
Their church edifice was originally at Chester Center ; 
subsequently it was removed to North Chester ; the meet- 
ing-hoiise was their usual place for public worship ; but 
the records show that they frequently held their services in 
the vicinity of Norwich bridge, and occasionally at Falley's 
X Roads, or Chester Village, now Huntington. The rea- 
son for this may, probably, be found in the fact that 
quite a large number of their influential members resided 
in or near these places. Rev. John Grant was their first 
pastor ; he was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Abbot ; the 
next regular pastor was Rev. Silas Kingsley, a native 
of Becket, whose .ministrations continued twenty years 
or more. This church, as a body, has passed away, its 
members having been gathered into other organizations. 
A Baptist Church was gathered in what is now Plunt- 
ington Village, in 1852 ; it was composed of members 
from different localities, especially from the church previ- 
ously existing in Chester. At a meeting held for the 
purpose, the following resolution was adopted : 

" Resolved, Tliat we, John Green, Josepli Stanton, Leartus Porter, Eli F. Cady, 
Sarah P. Clark and Laura Porter, after prayerful deliberation, and relying on the 
Great Head of the church for divine wisdom and support, do now, this seventii day 
of October, A. D., 1852, in the fear of God, declare ourselves a visible Baptist 
Church, in the faith and fellowsliip of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in Chester Village, 
Mass." 

In November of the same year, Rev. John Green was 
invited to become their minister ; this invitation was ac- 
cepted. Joseph Stanton, who had for many years served 
as deacon in the church in Chester, was elected to the 
same office in the new organization ; this office he held 
until his death, which occurred in March, 1870 ; in 1855, 
it was voted that this be called the Huntington Baptist 
Church; between 1854 and 1864, several preachers were 
employed ; among these may be named William Good- 
win, Samuel Allard, Wheeler, Hop wood. 



36 HISTOKY OF HUNTINGTON". 

Rev. Horatio L. Sargent was called to the pastorate, 
December 26, 1864 ; he continued his active labors until 
May 6, 1866, when, on account of failing health, he was, 
by vote of the church, kindly released ; a few weeks after 
this, he died, universallj^ beloved and lamented by his 
church and congregation. He was succeeded by Eev. 
S. Hartwell Pratt, who commenced his labors in August 
of the same year ; he was a native of Wales, in Massa- 
chusetts, a graduate of Brown University, and of the 
Theological Seminary at Rochester, N. Y. He resigned 
his pastorate in 1867, and is at present settled over a 
church in Lowell, Mass. The next pastor was Rev. E. A. 
Goddard ; he was a native of Boston, and was educated 
at Harvard University ; he was first settled in Stamford, 
Vt., from whence he came to this place ; he closed his 
labors here in 1873 ; since that he has been settled in 
Palmer ; he was succeeded, for a little more than a year, 
by Rev. Daniel Rogers, who was educated at Madison 
University ; he is now laboring as a missionary in the 
Indian Territory. Rev. S. D. Ashley, of Becket, next re- 
ceived and accepted a call, and commenced his labors 
June 1, 1875; he is the present pastor of the church. 
He is a son of a clergyman, and a native of Porte Mat- 
toon, Nova Scotia ; he received his classical education at 
Middleton, Mass., and at Yantic, Conn., and studied 
theology with an elder brother. The present member- 
ship in this church is one hundred. 

All these churches have passed through various scenes ; 
they have had times of prosperity and dark days of 
adversity ; they have had seasons of refreshing, when 
many have been added to their numbers, and they have 
had seasons of declension, when the love of many waxed 
cold ; all have cause of thankfulness for blessings received, 
and of humiliation for duties neglected, and privileges 
disregarded ; they may well unitedly say, " Hitherto hath 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 37 

the Lord helped us." Trusting in his aid for the future, 
they need not be discouraged nor dismayed ; they may 
confidently persevere in the work given them to do, till 
their mission is fully accomplished. 

The construction of the Boston and Albany railroad, 
and the consequent increase of manufacturing industry, 
introduced a new element in the population. Previously, 
the inhabitants had been almost exclusively native Ameri- 
cans, and in religion, Protestants ; but the increased 
demand for labor brought in many foreigners to fill 
important positions in some industrial pursuits ; a large 
proportion of these belonged to the Roman Catholic 
Church ; in accordance with the universal practice of that 
denomination, arrangements were promptly made for occa- 
sional public religious services; these began to be held 
about the middle of the present century ; the officiating 
priests, according to their custom, were appointed by the 
bishop, and conducted their worship on the Sabbath, at 
stated seasons, — usually once a month. Having no church 
edifice, they have hitherto occupied the Town Hall which 
is still their place of meeting. With some residents of 
neighboring towns who unite with them, they now have 
quite a large congregation. 

Each of the churches now existing here, has had, 
and still maintains a Sunday-school, where the children 
and many adults gather every Sabbath day, to receive 
moral and religious instruction ; in this institution as 
well as from the pulpit, each church teaches in accord- 
ance with its own views of doctrine and duty. The 
most extensive religious freedom is thus practically en- 
joyed. 

The following persons are at present engaged in 
mercantile business here : 

E. N. Woods, manufacturer and dealer in boots and 
shoes ; also dealer in groceries and Yankee notions. 



05 HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON. 

Edward Pease, Myron L. Church, Alonzo Wells, dealers 
in dry goods and groceries. 

Chester A. Dewey, dealer in hard-ware and furniture. 

Edward A. Allen, dealer in stoves and tin-ware. 

E. H. Cross, druggist. 

Martin Pease keeps a meat market. 

Joseph Lefleur keeps a hotel. 

Daniel Woodbury, watchmaker and jew^eler ; also agent 
of the American Exjoress Company. 

The following is the list of those holding the more 
prominent offices of the town for the year 1876 : 

William S. Tinker, Clerk and Treasurer. 

Elijah N. Woods, David Smith, Alonzo S. Sylvester, 
Selectmen, Assessors, and Overseers of the Poor. . 

Benjamin P. Brown, James D. Beach, George M. Lind- 
sey, Constables. 

John J. Cook, Edward Greenwood, Austin T. Hancock, 
A. S. Sylvester, William P. Miller, Ira Iliggins, School 
Committee. 

Other officials : George M. Lindsey is Deputy Sheriff for 
the counties of Hampshire and Hampden. 

Edward Pease is Post-master ; Charles M. Lindsey is 
Railroad Station Agent. 

CONCLUSION. 

We have thus passed, very briefly, over the history of 
this town during the first century of its existence. This 
labor has been vastly more difficult and arduous, than it 
otherwise would have been, on account of our inability 
to obtain reliable information on many important points ; 
it is greatly to be regretted that the records of the town 
in the earlier years of this period, are not more full, so 
that more definite knowledge might be had of the early 
settlers and of their doings. There is also just cause for 
complaint that some of the later records are not more 



HISTORY OF HUNTINGTON". 39 

definite and complete ; many important facts are either 
through neglect or carelessness entirely lost, or left in 
such obscurity as to be wholly unintelligible. Possibly 
some of these defects might, at the present day, be sup- 
plied, so as to be serviceable for the future. The full, fair 
record of births, marriages and deaths is often of great 
importance to individuals and families, and indeed to the 
whole community. The little that has been gleaned 
from the records of the past may be of some service to 
the present population of the place, and to future genera- 
tions. 

Brief and imperfect as is the history here written, it 
contains many lessons of valuable instruction ; these will 
naturally be suggested to every reflecting mind. A cen- 
tury passed ! How brief, and yet how marked with 
changes ! How many have been the mutations in this 
little township ! " Our fathers, where are they " ? Three 
generations have already passed away. The names of a 
few of these are so recorded as to be preserved ; the 
multitude are already forgotten by the living ; even the 
name of many has perished. So will it soon be in the 
case of those now in active life ; in the past have been 
joys and sorrows, hopes and fears, connections formed and 
sundered ; schemes have been formed and frustrated, plans 
laid and broken ; expectations have been disappointed 
and hopes have been blighted. " The thing that hath 
been is that which shall be." The present and the future 
may be expected to resemble the past. We live and labor 
among the graves of preceding generations. From their 
dust we reap our daily bread ; others will soon tread 
upon the clods that press upon the bosoms of those now 
living. While we cherish the memory of those who have 
preceded us, let us practice their virtues, avoid their 
errors, and not only thankfully accept the legacy which 
they have bequeathed to us, but according to the best of 



40 HISTOKY OF HUNTINGTON. 

our ability make improvements upon the same. Then 
shall we leave to our successors a richer inheritance than 
we have received from our predecessors, and they will 
have occasion to rise up and call us blessed. Though 
dead, we shall speak, and our influence will be salutary. 
We may thus give practical lessons of instruction to 
generations yet unborn. 



L ' 



HISTORY 



TOWN OF HUNTINGTON, 



County of Hampshire, Mass. 



From its First Settlement to tlie year 187G. 



By KEV. J. H. BISBEE. 



SPRINGFIELD, MASS.: 

CLARK W. BRYAN & COMPANY, PRINTERS, 
1876. 












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